Mexican Pasta Salad
There is just so much goodness going on in this easy pasta salad — between the tender macaroni, charred fresh corn, sweet tomatoes, salty Cotija cheese, creamy black beans and avocados, the light bite from the red onion and the zip from the cilantro lime dressing, my oh my! So good! This is a perfect pasta salad recipe for bbq’s, parties and potlucks, but of course it’s just the perfect summer side dish to serve with your favorite grilled chicken and steak. Try this Mexican macaroni salad for yourself and see what I’m talking about. It’s just so tasty!
Mexican Pasta Salad Ingredients
For this homemade pasta salad, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Fresh yellow corn Elbow macaroni Roma tomatoes Black beans Avocado Cotija cheese Red onion Salt and pepper
And for the creamy pasta salad dressing, you’ll need:
Mayonnaise Greek yogurt Lime juice Cilantro Garlic Ancho chili powder Ground cumin
How to Make Mexican Pasta Salad
Grill the corn for a few minutes over medium-high heat, just until charred. Let the corn cool slightly before cutting off the kernels. Cook pasta until al dente, then drain and let cool. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and let chill in the fridge until ready to use. Toss together the pasta salad ingredients and the dressing and serve immediately.
How Long Should I Grill Corn?
You’ll want to turn your grill to medium-high heat, or about 450 degrees F. In total, the fresh corn will be grilled for about 8 minutes, but you’ll need to turn the corn every 2 to 3 minutes to char it on all sides. Depending on how hot your grill burns, you may need to grill the corn for more or less time than the recipe calls for!
Can I Use Another Type of Pasta?
Of course! Although I think the best pasta for pasta salad is elbow macaroni. If you use another type of pasta, make sure it’s short and holds its shape well (like penne or bow tie pasta).
Can I Use Regular Chili Powder?
If you don’t have ancho chili powder, regular chili powder may be substituted but I love that depth of flavor the lightly smoky ancho chili powder brings so try it in the future.
Tips for the Best Pasta Salad
Be generous with the cilantro, it really is about one small full bunch once you mince it up finely. It brings a lot of flavor to the dressing. Don’t over cook the pasta. It’ll soak up the dressing as it sits in the fridge, so you don’t want it to be too soft to begin with. Canned or frozen corn can be used in place of fresh, but the grilled corn adds great flavor to this Mexican macaroni salad.
More Pasta Salad Recipes You’ll Love:
Garden Veggie Pasta Salad Greek Pasta Salad Classic Macaroni Salad Avocado Caprese Pasta Salad Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Poppy Seed Chicken and Grape Pasta Salad
